Rare Astronomical Event: Smallest New Moon Until 2043 Precedes December’s Final Supermoon
A rare astronomical event occurred on Thursday, November 20, 2025, as the New Moon reached its most distant point from Earth until the year 2043, officially marking the smallest “Micromoon” of the current 18.6-year lunar cycle. This significant distance change is a precursor to the final and closest Supermoon of 2025, which will illuminate the December sky.
A unique celestial phenomenon took place early Thursday morning as the November New Moon reached its greatest distance from Earth, an event astronomers refer to as a lunar apogee. This specific New Moon is officially the most remote the Moon will be until December 1, 2043, marking an important point in the Moon’s elliptical orbit around the Earth. The Moon reached this farthest point, traveling approximately 252,706 miles (406,691 kilometers) from Earth’s center, about four hours before it officially reached the new phase at 1:47 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. While the New Moon phase itself is invisible to the naked eye because the illuminated side faces away from Earth, its extreme distance highlights the significant variations in the Earth-Moon system.
This most distant New Moon of the cycle is a direct counterpoint to the impending celestial highlight of the upcoming holiday season: the December Full Moon, which will also be the final of three consecutive Supermoons for 2025. This Full Moon, commonly known as the Cold Moon, will occur on Thursday, December 4, 2025. A Supermoon occurs when the Full Moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, known as the perigee, causing it to appear slightly larger and significantly brighter than an average Full Moon. The substantial difference between Thursday’s remote Micromoon and the December Supermoon visually demonstrates the highly elliptical nature of the Moon’s orbital path, a cycle governed by the gravitational influences of the Sun and the Earth. This regular shifting in distance is an intriguing celestial reminder of the dynamic mechanics governing the Earth’s nearest celestial neighbor.
